No welcome for mats

Are they “welcome” mats? Or bathmats?

The mystery of the rubber mats that have appeared at some

pedestrian corners in downtown Laguna Beach has puzzled many.

Some locals received e-mails recently claiming city officials

installed the mats so visitors and residents can wipe their feet --

presumably to keep sidewalks clean -- and that anyone who doesn’t act

politely will be fined $8.

The e-mailer claims that some European cities require pedestrians

to wipe their feet on such mats to keep sidewalks clean. But that’s

not the case in Laguna.

The Coastline Pilot looked into the mystery of the rubber mats,

and learned that the mats were actually installed by the city to

comply with requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities

Act (ADA).

They may look like rubber bath mats that prevent slips, but

officially they are called “truncated domes,” and are being installed

on street curbs to alert visually- impaired pedestrians to recognize

that they are on the verge of entering an intersection.

Some city officials don’t think the mats -- which have dubbed

“bath mats” by some -- promote safety.

“They are a bad idea,” Public Works Director Steve May said. “They

are a tripping hazard.”

The studded, hard plastic mats have been installed on several

Forest Avenue corners and more are on the way.

“Caltrans requires cities to install them on all federally funded

projects,” Assistant City Engineer Derek Wieske said. “Fifty percent

of the Forest Avenue resurfacing project was funded by the federal

government.”

Forest Avenue intersections with Beach, Glenneyre and Third

streets have the mats. More mats are to be installed at the Beach and

Forest intersection, according to Wieske.

“The South Laguna streetscaping project is also federally funded

and the domes will be required there also,” Wieske said.

The mats are not expensive, costing only about $50 each. They

should last five or 10 years, Wieske said.

“But this is all new to us,” Wieske said.

-- Barbara Diamond contributed to this story.